


A Symphony of Shadows

by Catastra_Fey



Series: Into The World Of Darkness [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - World of Darkness (Games) Setting, Blood Drinking, Blood and Violence, Bondage, Breaking and Entering, Consentacles, Dark Magic, Edging, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Memory Alteration, Mind Control (but not related to sex), Mirror Sex, Sensory Overload, Some Scary Scenes, Tentacle Sex, Vampire Politics, Vampire Turning, human Sugawara, vampire akaashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:06:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23755078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catastra_Fey/pseuds/Catastra_Fey
Summary: Akaashi is the oldest and most powerful vampire in the city, far removed from concerning himself with his human prey. Until he happens upon a beautiful silver-haired man, one who makes his old husk of a heart flutter in a way he hasn't felt for decades.  But given his place in vampire society, the more he pursues Sugawara, the more danger he places him in. How can he reconcile his way of life with this new found draw? Is he too much of a monster for Sugawara to accept?
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Sugawara Koushi, Bokuto Koutarou/Kuroo Tetsurou (side)
Series: Into The World Of Darkness [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711276
Comments: 19
Kudos: 83





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo! This story technically takes place after The Night Belongs To Us, however, you do not have to have read it first. It merely tells Bokuto and Kuroo's story, but they are minor players in this story. I hope you enjoy!

Akaashi paced the halls of his gothic mansion, footsteps echoing on the dark marble floors. The edges of hunger were beginning to flicker within him and it made his frustration mount. His ghoul had not returned for four days now. He could go much longer without blood, but the hunger muddled his mind. He despised that.

He'd tried calling his servant each night, but no answer came. He'd been discovered. This was the fourth ghoul this month. They were getting better. The shadows shifted around him, reflecting his annoyance. 

Perhaps the time had come to rest. One last hunt, despite the dangers, and then he would spend a few years in sleep. He could let the Camarilla, the vampire government which protected the humans and the secret of their existence, utilize his mansion while he slept. He was tired of maintaining his position as an independent of the factions. It had become exhausting, with the opposing side, the Sabbat, ever snapping at his heels. 

He understood them both, his age granting wisdom and a wide world view that many of the younger vampires didn't understand. The Camarilla kept order, kept the humans ignorant and docile, kept the vampire population from expanding too quickly. It was a good long game, but they had become too mired in the bureaucracy, infighting between the clans doing as much damage as good, too much weight placed upon etiquette and decorum. They were young, still hot-blooded and emotional. He found it burdensome. 

The Sabbat were even worse. Seeing the humans as nothing but livestock for their pleasure, believing that they should rule them and treat them as such. It would be simpler, he had to admit. Would save him the energy of hunting or creating ghouls to keep him fed. Hunting meant keeping out of sight, erasing memories, making sure there was no trace of truth to tip the humans off. Ghouls were fine, but they were a responsibility. While sustaining their human bodies and blood, giving them vampire blood also made them preternaturally loyal and devoted. They would return, but they lost much of their own will and refused to be independent of their masters wishes. It wasn't like the bond was anything but a magical addiction. It was distasteful and required too much energy (not to mention is own blood). 

No, what Akaashi really wanted was to be left alone. To be fed, to have his haven be safe, and to be unbothered by the loud, stinking, idiotic masses. Both mortal and immortal. 

The Sabbat had not allowed him rest, however. They continued to track down any ghoul he created and dispose of them. He had been attacked when outside the walls of his haven, where his power was somewhat diminished. The Sabbat were not ones to negotiate. If they could incapacitate him, they had ways of making him join their ranks. He would just have to be careful. One last hurrah and then he would rest. He grabbed his coat and exited the mansion. 

**

Sugawara stood by the lake in the park, his camera balanced on the tripod as he snapped photo after photo of the moon reflected on the water. The night was beautiful, his favorite time to photograph, despite the longer exposure times needed. Just a few wisps of clouds weaved amid the stars, creating beautiful and perfect shadows across the glass-like surface of the little lake. It was late enough that hardly anyone was around, which was how he preferred it. People always talked to him, pulled him out of his work, asked him to take pictures of them. He didn't like photographing people. They were never as beautiful or timeless as the night.

There was a shift in the fall air, the wind pulling at his scarf and nipping at his ears and he shivered against it. Checking his watch, he saw that it was late, past the time the park closed. It made him smile. The authorities in the park knew him well and sometimes, they would just conveniently ignore him. It was a precious privilege that he didn't take for granted. Still, he snapped a last picture before unhooking the camera from the tripod to pack back into his case.

When he turned, he startled, almost dropping the expensive piece of equipment. A man stood a few feet from him, his stance absolutely still, his gaze unwavering. He was a couple inches taller than Sugawara, but his presence seemed to make him tower, his hair hung like a halo of shadows around his pale features. He wore a black peacoat with dark pants and shining dress shoes, his hands buried deep in his pockets. Most striking of all, he was perhaps the single most beautiful person that Sugawara had ever seen. His eyes were heavy-lidded, dark, appearing black in the low light, but he otherwise could have been carved from white marble. Smooth perfection, symmetry so flawless that he appeared almost otherworldly. His expression was neutral, pale lips a soft line below the gentle curve of his nose. The cold and the night seemed to suit him, like they were just another part of his ensemble. Sugawara flushed, embarrassed at his own tousled appearance.

“You scared me, I didn't hear you walk over. Sorry, I know the park is closed, I was just packing up.” The man's head tilted ever so slightly, his expression remaining stable and his body unmoving. He was...eerie. Sugawara kept him in his periphery as he stowed the camera away. 

“You wished to capture the alluring night, but no photograph can hold the shadows.” His voice was soft with little inflection, but Sugawara shuddered. It felt velvet when he heard it and he looked up. He hadn't seen him move, but he was closer and the darkness had crept around them further. He stood, picking up the tripod to collapse it together. 

“You're not wrong. It always ends up being the one thing my photos can't really represent. It's such a shame. I love the night. Especially in fall or winter, when it's cold. I always end up out here too late. What about you? What brings you out here so late? You don't look like one of the officers...” There was prickle of fear that gnawed at the edge of Suga's thoughts. A guy in all black in the park so late, them being completely alone...this could be a bad situation. This man, for as beautiful as he was, was unsettling. He slipped the tripod into the case as well and hefted it on his shoulder.

“I was a bit hungry. But I didn't expect...” He took two steps, graceful beyond what normal movements should be capable of and stood directly in front of Sugawara. There was faint scent from him, dark and pleasant, somewhat like a clove cigarette burning on the wisp of a winter wind. His heart beat loud in his ears as the perfect stranger looked over his face, and he felt like he should run. Some animal instinct welled up within him, demanded he flee, but he felt trapped, rooted by the stranger's eyes. Long, delicate fingers moved up to run through his hair, and while the touch wasn't cold, he shivered. 

“What is your name?” the stranger asked, and Sugawara released the breath he had apparently been holding. The man's eyes found his again, penetrating, even in the dark. A cloud must have fallen over the moon, as darkness seemed to cling around them, obscuring the details of the unearthly man in front of him.

“Sugawara Koushi,” he answered without hesitation, wondering why he had so easily given his name. 

“Do you live close by, Sugawara-san?” he asked, and something within Suga cried out that he should not say more, that he should leave, now. 

“Yes,” fell from his lips in a whisper, but the raven-haired man had stepped close, those thin fingers trailing over Suga's jawline in an intimate way that made his pulse begin to race, not in fear, but arousal. The other's lips had drawn close to him and he could nearly feel the thrum of energy from his body. 

“Invite me home with you.” It was not a question. It was something more than a command. Spoken softly, almost against his lips, yet the words seemed to thunder in his mind. The fact that he never did this didn't so much as enter his thoughts. It was like a push, something undeniable, and there was only a hair's breadth of resistance before it was crushed and he nodded. It was as if the idea had been Sugawara's all along. Of course he would take this stranger home. There was no world in which this was not the outcome of their meeting. 

He took the man's hand and led him along the sidewalk in a daze. His heart pounded in his ears as he thought about what this would mean. Was he really going to simply give himself to this stranger? He wasn't so sure about that. He had never had a one night stand before, never been very attracted to anyone he didn't know well. He hadn't had a significant other in the better part of a year, with his doctorate and photography taking up every moment of time he had. What was he even doing?

Suddenly, he was standing before the door of his flat, trying to unlock it with shaking hands. He hadn't looked back at the handsome stranger for the entire walk back, his sole focus being on getting them here. As the door swung open to his tidy little apartment, he hesitated at the threshold. His guest brushed past him, entering his living space to look around and unbuttoning his coat. The room was still dark, so Sugawara reached for the light switch.

“Stop.” The word paralyzed him, thick as a magic spell. The stranger let his coat fall to the ground and turned. From the light in the hallway, Sugawara could see that he wore a dark, satiny shirt, the top several buttons open to reveal more of his flawless skin. He beckoned with a raised hand and Suga let the door fall shut behind him, casting the room in darkness broken only by the weak, ambient light from the streets below. 

When he reached the man, he felt sure hands unravel his scarf, dropping it to the floor. The zipper of his jacket pulled down. Palms moved across his chest and shoulders, pushing it off of him to crumple at his feet. Everything felt a bit dreamlike as his heart fluttered at the touch. His hands remained still at his sides as he lifted his face toward the shadow of a man who stood before him.

“I...I don't do this. Ever. What...what are you going to do to me?” He almost felt the stranger smile, breath ghosting across his lips as he gave a soft chuckle. A hand ran up through his hair again, slow and gentle, nothing like the feeling in the air around him, which suddenly seemed to vibrate with a quiet violence. 

“Don't be afraid,” he whispered, his lips barely brushing across Sugawara's cheek, drifting down to his jawline. “You will enjoy it. But you will be free of guilt, because you will remember nothing of me or this night.” Smooth fingers moved down his neck as the breath feathered along the other side and his whole body felt like it was tingling in anticipation for the feel of that mouth against him. His body was responding, arousal curling in his abdomen as he began to grow hard from desire. He finally willed his hands to move, fingers drifting along the satin surface of his companion's shirt, feeling his lithe frame beneath. He wanted him. Whatever he intended, he wanted it.

“How could I ever forget you?” he gasped as soft lips moved against his throat. The stranger seemed to pause and he felt their mouth curve into a smile at the delicate skin beneath his ear. He clutched at the man's shirt, breath leaving him in a stutter as their other hand slipped around his waist to the small of his back. 

“You will. But I have a feeling I will remember you, Sugawara Koushi.” He pulled Suga against him with those silken words, and Suga's gasp was interrupted by a sharp scrape of teeth against his throat. It was too much, too catching, too deep and he cried out, but then his body was gripped with a blinding ecstasy. It was like nothing he had ever felt before, burning through his veins like the richest drug. He hadn't even been all the way hard yet, but it felt like within the torrent of pleasure he reached climax. It almost felt like the darkness wrapped around him, pulling and pushing him closer and more deeply with the beautiful stranger. It was inexplicable. It was magnificent.

Even as the intense pleasure ebbed, gentle darkness seemed to enfold him as strong arms took the weight he could no longer bare. He let himself fall into the cool night that surrounded him, almost palpable, and he knew nothing more. 

**

When Suga woke the next day, his head was pounding. He didn't really remember drinking, but damn, did this feel like the mother of all hangovers. He opened his phone to check his text messages, to see if maybe he'd gone out last night? Jeez, he really didn't remember anything. Despite the lack of any evidence, he called Asahi, the only friend he seemed to do much of anything with nowadays. 

“Hey Suga!”

“Ah, not so loud please. Asahi-san, did we go drinking last night?”

“What?”

“Did we go out? I literally can't remember a thing from last night and I feel like absolute death this morning. Please help me figure this out.” He sighed, a bit of panic starting to rise. He wouldn't have gone out by himself. He barely had any alcohol in his flat, not much of a fan of drinking alone. Maybe he had just caught a bad bug, but why was his memory so fuzzy? He glanced toward the door and saw his camera bag sitting there. He wouldn't have just left it in the middle of the floor like that. His jacket was piled on the floor closer to his bedroom, left in a heap. He huffed in frustration.

“Uh, no? I thought you were going to photograph the lake last night? What do you mean you can't remember? Are you okay? Should I come over?” 

“No, no, it's fine. I probably just caught a bug being out in the cold so late. Sorry to bother you.”

“Okay, well, if you need help with anything, just ask, okay? I'll come take you to the doctor if it gets too bad. Don't push yourself.”

“Thanks, Asahi-san. I'll talk to you later.”

“Take care, Suga-san.” He tapped the phone off and struggled to sit up, feeling dizzy and chilled. He was also naked, which was unusual, and he carefully made his way to his dresser to pull on some pajamas to fight off the chill. He always wore pajamas, or something, was more likely to go to bed in his clothes than naked. He peered into his hamper, seeing his outfit from yesterday crumpled among the other worn articles. He lifted them out. 

He gasped as he noticed the sticky mess in his underwear. God, he would never have just...let things go like that! His cheeks heated in embarrassment and he sat back down on the bed as a wave of dizziness made his vision blur. Why couldn't he remember? He hadn't really gotten so drunk he hooked up with someone, had he? He smelled his shirt, and there was a vague scent of something, sweet and smokey, like a clove cigarette. 

He stumbled to the bathroom and stared into the mirror, looking for any hickies or other marks that anything had happened last night. There was nothing. He wasn't sore, there were no indications of any involvement of anyone else. Just what the hell had happened? 

He managed to stumble to the kitchen for an orange and water and seemed to have no trouble keeping it down. His eyes fell once again to the camera. He dragged it over to his bed and took it out, switching it on so he could look through the gallery. 

He vaguely remembered, though it was foggy, being out in the cold and getting those pictures. The moon on the lake had enraptured him, the clouds moving amidst the stars...and then, nothing. Not packing up, not how he got home, not what he did when he got here, nothing. It was crazy. 

He flipped through photos again, noticing how the moonlight seemed to fade a bit in each photo as the time passed. But strangely, it wasn't in the way that a cloud passed over it. It was like it was fading from view, obscured by something more uniform than a cloud. Must have been a trick of the light. It was most unfortunate because he needed this series of photos for a personal project he was working on and if he wanted to get it finished, it meant he needed to go back tonight. Which was problem, since he felt like death warmed over, but his hobby was what kept him sane. So he spent the day resting and recuperating, napping, making soup, and drinking plenty of water and juice. And against his better judgment, an hour after dusk, he took a taxi down to the park, sparing himself the 15 minute walk. 

He lugged his camera down to the lake, the same hill he had taken it to previously, and set it up. He'd stay for just enough time to get the shots he absolutely needed, and then go home. An hour, tops. He would be fine. He shivered against the cold, sitting on the ground a moment, until the dizzy spell passed. His eyelids drooped. He would be fine.

**

Akaashi was pacing again, but it was different this time. His feet were bare, the cool marble feeling cold against him as hot blood moved through him. Last night had taken him by surprise, and only the press of the sun had allowed him sleep. As always, he'd woken before it set entirely, but not with the usual grogginess. He'd expected the high of the hunt to fade, but it almost felt like it beat more powerfully within him.

It had been so unexpected, the man with the silver locks. It had always been his weakness, even in life. The blush of youth and vigor surrounded by a crown of ash...it drew him in a way that he could not explain. It was a trait that all of his few past lovers had shared, and when he had seen it gracing someone alone, in the dark, whose beauty was sure and sharp as a blade...his long unbeating heart had responded. 

His will had been easy to overtake with the domination magic. His mind had barely struggled at all, a trait Akaashi very much enjoyed. But even once his suggestion was fulfilled, once Sugawara had been free to make his own decisions once again, he had seemed swept up by Akaashi. Desire hadn't stirred him in many decades, but last night, he had hesitated at the bite.

Hesitated because he had been tempted. Tempted not just to feed, but to explore his human prey, to touch him and wring wanton sounds from his delicate throat. Even once the choice was made, as sweet blood had filled his mouth, too intoxicating almost to be just the blood of a human, he'd felt his body respond in a very human way. The arch of Sugawara's back and his strangled cry as his body convulsed in pleasure...Akaashi had wanted more. When he'd stripped him of his clothes and cleaned him of the aftermath of his climax, he had had to steel himself to not touch him more than necessary. His expanse of pale flesh, dotted with sweet little birth marks, had seemed to draw his fingertips. 

He'd known some of it was the head rush of the bite, of having fed so recently. But his age had made him believe himself almost immune to such things. He shouldn't be feeling this way. He shouldn't be feeling at all. He should be sleeping. Taking his rest for awhile while the Sabbat forgot about him. But his mind was on fire, all deep hazel eyes, pale skin, dark beauty marks, and...that silver hair. His hands clenched into fists.

He was acting like a damn neonate, like a freshly turned fool, still thick with their own humanity, falling in love with the feeling of their fangs piercing flesh. It was embarrassing. He needed a reminder. A reminder of what he was. 

He turned down familiar hallways, both relishing and feeling ashamed of the heat that flushed his cheeks in the silent mansion. He padded almost noiselessly through it until he came to a door with silver filigree spidering along the outside of the heavy wood. He let his clothes fall to the ground, wanting nothing of the world to touch him. His clothes couldn't be reflected in the mirror either while he wore them, but in this state of mind, he wanted no physical distractions. As he stepped through, the dim glow of the gas lamp came to life and he stared into the mirrors which lined the tiny room's walls and ceiling. Plush black carpet spread out along the floor and the image of the gas lamp bounced and reflected a hundred times over in the mirrors. 

Only the gas lamp. Nothing of him. It was the curse of his clan, the Lasombra. They could be reflected in nothing, not mirrors, not water, not glass. Over the years he had found that cameras could not capture him either. No technology would show any sign of his form. He summoned the shadows which fell around him, wrapped around his limbs and waist, beautiful, palpable darkness made corporeal. He could see it writhing in the mirror, just barely visible in the amber glow. It caressed him like a lover, the only lover he had always remained enamored with. And he looked into the glass and saw only the darkness.

Nothing human, nothing tangible. Just coiling darkness that seemed to slither around itself. This was what he was. His darkness, his power over it, it was the essence that filled him. Had he ever been anything more? He didn't remember his face, hadn't seen it nearly two centuries. He breathed in the shadow, let it fill his entire being, expanded it so that it choked out the little gas lamp. And then he stood in the darkness, surrounded by the cold mirrors, his only sensation the carpet beneath his feet and he felt himself detach. 

It was a needed escape and he felt centered once again as he stepped out of the mirror room and dressed. But there was still no chance to enter that deep sleep tonight. Against his better judgment, Akaashi slipped on his shoes and coat and glided out into the crisp night air. It was a foolish decision, but his home felt stuffy and he wanted to go back to the lovely park with the lake. He pulled the shadows around him to obscure him from any prying eyes. If he was attacked, he would have to expend blood to fuel his magic and then feed again before his sleep. 

The thought of different blood, blood that was not Sugawara Koushi's, made his lip curl in disgust. He wanted this blood sustaining him in sleep. It was warm and sweet and pure, the feeling of its devouring still delicious in his memory. He would not be lucky enough to find such a fine specimen again so soon. So he hurried.

As he stepped off the path toward the lake, his brow furrowed slightly. Much like the previous night, a lone figure stood with a camera on the small hill which fronted the water. He looked the same height and build as Sugawara, but a knit cap hid the color of his hair. Surely he couldn't be back out already? He would be weak, sick, unable to do much from the blood loss, so he couldn't possibly...

As he approached though, the wind blew across him and carried with it the scent he had drowned in the night before. He stepped up beside him, noting the way that he swayed and shivered, the dark circles under his eyes. He startled as his eyes caught Akaashi and he backed away a step. Akaashi simply surveyed him quietly.

“O-oh! I didn't...hear you. You scared me.” Different, but similar enough to allow him the echo of the relish he found in hunting this man the night before. Akaashi felt his lips curl. 

“My apologies, I did not intend to frighten you. I noticed you sway and was concerned. The night is cold. Perhaps you should not be out in it.” He felt his voice take on a scolding tone and admonished himself, however Sugawara just passed him a weary smile. He watched his eyes trace over him, knew the magic would hold, but this was testing its limits. Meeting in the same place, within 24 hours, under similar circumstances...it was a good thing his magic was so strong. 

“I know. Sorry to worry you. I just...I needed these pictures, and I love the night, especially when it's cold...” he looked back at Akaashi, a hint of suspicion on his face and there was the slightest twinge of doubt within the vampire. “Uh, this is a strange question, but have we met before? I mean, I'm sure I would remember you, so that's probably ridiculous...” He scratched at his head and looked away, cheeks taking on that sweet blush. It made Akaashi's fangs ache. 

“No. But...” the wave of concern that was rising within him was unsettling. When had he ever felt like this for a human? It had been many decades. He pushed against Sugawara's mind, weaving the magic into words to implant the suggestion, felt the brief hint of resistance before he spoke them. “You should return home.” 

Sugawara blinked at him a moment. Akaashi felt the wall give way as his suggestion rooted itself and the man turned back to his camera, unhooking it from the stand and packing it away quickly. 

“I should. I should go home. I don't even know why I'm out here. Stupid, considering I've been sick all day...” He shuddered then, against the cold, and stumbled. Almost without thinking, Akaashi stepped forward and took his arm to steady him. Soft hazel eyes raised to meet him, enchanting in the dark, and a few strands of silver hair feathered out from beneath his dark cap. He was so close, could hear Sugawara's heartbeat quicken, the memory of the taste of his blood rising to the surface. 

“Thank you,” Sugawara whispered, and Akaashi could see his pupils dilate slightly, gaze drifting down to Akaashi's lips. That long forgotten feeling stirred within him once again, heady and enticing. He remembered the contours of his body, the yielding warmth of his skin...

“You should go, Sugawara. It is dangerous for lovely things to be out alone in the dark.” Suga's brow creased in confusion and then suspicion as his eyes bounced between Akaashi's. He realized his mistake too late and pulled back from the man, angry had that he had lost track of himself so easily.

“What? I...I didn't tell you my name. How do you know my name? Were you here last night? I can't remember...” He watched as the spell crumbled around the memories he'd locked away in the man's mind. His eyes widened as they flooded back into him, and he took a step back, stumbling and falling to the ground, a mixture of fear and wonder on his pretty face. 

“Ah, I am sorry. This was my mistake. My self-indulgence went too far. Take it as flattery, that you would so captivate an old monster such as myself.” He came down on his hands and knees over Sugawara, expecting to see fear glow bright within him. Instead, his face flushed dark and he clenched his teeth, remaining propped on his elbows, his face close. 

“You did whatever it is to me, I don't even know, and you didn't even...” he was speaking angrily through gritted teeth, and Akaashi held back his magic for a moment, his eyebrows raising ever so slightly, waiting for the man to finish. His breath was fast, embarrassment clear on his face, fists clenched in the grass. “You didn't even kiss me.” 

Akaashi sucked in a breath, his composure shattered by this innocent admission, so wholesome and sweet. And despite all logic, he felt it, the degradation, the wronging in leaving him with nothing when he had taken so much. Sugawara was right. It had been unfair. 

“You could have at least-” he cut off the bitter words as he pressed his mouth to Sugawara's, taking advantage of their parting while he spoke. He drank of the warm breath from the man as he pressed into him, feeling the tingle of want dance through him. He pulled away before their kiss could deepen, before he could truly taste him and Sugawara released a shuddering breath. His eyes were closed, silver lashes heavy against his reddened cheeks.

His body jerked as the magic set into him, Akaashi sifting back through his memories. It was easier to remove than to change, but it would be unlikely for a removal to hold a second time. Instead, he wove the two nights together, impressed upon him their meeting tonight, their kiss on the bank, going home together. The magic would leave him in a daze for a bit, so as he tied off the stitches to the memory craft, packed away the rest of Sugawara's things, and then pulled him to his feet. He swayed, almost drunkenly, his eyes hazy and leaning heavily against Akaashi. He was a slight man anyway, but Akaashi's supernatural strength supported him as if he weighed nothing. 

He walked him back to his apartment, appearing as no more than a friend helping a drunken compatriot. He pulled Sugawara's keys from his pocket, opening the door and settling him on his couch. He would close the loop here, explain his leaving with Sugawara's illness and have snipped out every scrap of the strange occurrences he had caused. It would piece together well enough, combined with a possible fever, that it would cause little question. And Sugawara would remember him. He didn't like how satisfying that felt, but in this circumstance, it was the best way. 

“Sugawara, you seem unwell. I think I should go.” A hand reached out and took his coat collar in a weak grip. It halted him, the beast pulsing and straining at him suddenly with the flash of pale wrist so close to his fangs. 

“No, wait. Please. I want...” Sugawara pulled him down, his grip easily broken, but Akaashi gave in without resistance. Warm lips met his again, pliant and lush, and he fell against Sugawara. This time he didn't pull back before his tongue met the other man's, gliding against each other, teasing and coaxing him into Suga's mouth. Ah, he tasted fresh as rain, and even through their clothing and coats, Akaashi became aware of how their bodies pressed together, how Sugawara's hips canted against him and his fingers found them in the dark to hold them down. A sweet little moan escaped the silver-haired man and Akaashi felt himself growl in response. 

He moved along Sugawara's jawline, relishing the feeling of fingers through his hair, but a knit scarf was wrapped around the feast that called to him. He was grateful. It allowed him a moment to pull back, to wrestle the reigns from the beast so that he didn't bite the man a second time. If he drank from him again so soon, it could easily kill him. And somehow the drive to prevent that was coming through stronger than his lust addled need to feed. 

He pushed Sugawara back down against the couch, swallowing against the aching, struggling need that had his fangs lengthening behind his closed lips. He pulled away and turned from him as he rose from the couch, trying desperately to ignore the hand that tried to clutch at him in vain. 

“I have to go. I'm sorry,” he said, and moved quickly toward the door. He'd come so close to losing the battle. 

“Wait, can I see you again? Please?” He paused at the threshold, mind racing to justify how he could say yes. But the more time he spent with Sugawara, the more danger he would be in. Both from the Sabbat and from Akaashi, himself.

“It would be best for you if you did not.” With that, he stepped into the scalding fluorescent light of the hallway and shut the door behind him, intending never to return.


	2. Chapter 2

A week had passed since the surreal hookup gone wrong, but Sugawara was still surly as hell about it. He still couldn't believe, in his feverish state, that he hadn't even managed to get the beautiful stranger's name. He'd gone back to the park every night, hoping to run into him again, but there'd been no trace. Even Asahi, with his infinite patience, had given Suga signals that he was very tired of hearing about it. It sucked, but he just needed to get over it. 

His hobbyist photographers group was working on a new project together that he had decided to join to take his mind off of the missed opportunity. It was architectural, something he didn't usually spring for, but the idea was to find one of the oldest buildings in the city and photograph it in a novel way that helped tell its story. He knew for a fact that there were some neat old houses on the outskirts of town, just brimming with character. He would have to be a bit careful, but if he went in the middle of the day, the chances of someone being home were less likely.

He hopped on his little moped, camera in tow in its smaller case, without the tripod, and began driving around, waiting for something to catch his eye. It only took about a half hour before before he was pulled to a stop by an incredible house that he didn't remember seeing before. He wasn't sure how he could have missed it. He dismounted from the bike and pressed his face between the iron bars of the gothic gate that surrounded it.

It was a sprawling Victorian mansion, high gables with a filigree of gingerbread details along every crease and corner. It was midnight blue with accents in black and deep purple. Countless dormers punctuated the roofline and made the thing look like it must be labyrinthine on the inside. An aura of dread seemed to hang about it and send a shiver down his spine. The long drive was dark cobblestone and he couldn't see a car, though there was a carriage house with a garage door closed near the back. He flipped up his camera and took several photos of the place, zooming in as much as he could. 

It was in impeccable shape, considering how old it must be. He marveled at it, then glanced around. There were no other houses nearby, no cars, not another human in sight. He looked back up at the house with determination. 

Sliding his camera between the bars to set it gently on the ground, he used the strap of his bag to wrap around the top of the six foot fence. Looping it around his arm, he was able to get enough leverage to hoist himself to the top and lower himself back down. He left the strap secured, so when he was leaving, he would know where he entered and where the moped was. A tiny voice in his head told him how risky and stupid this was, that if he got in trouble with the law it could be a black mark on his record, but he felt drawn to the place beyond the logic he usually relied upon. 

He continued to photograph the outside of the house, but decided to play it safe once he got close enough and simply knocked on the front door. Maybe whoever lived here would allow him to take photos. Or they would ask him to leave. Better than being caught sneaking around in broad daylight. But no answer came and he wrapped his knuckles heavily on the sturdy wooden door once more. Nothing. Perhaps no one was home. 

He wandered the huge, wrap-around porch, noting that the windows were heavily curtained. Coming around the building, he peered into the carriage house, seeing what looked to be a very nice black sedan parked within. Still, he hadn't seen any lights on in the house and as he circled around toward the back, the lawn was fairly unkempt, old gardens with thickets of overgrowth all along the back of the property. He saw a door that appeared more recently opened and went to it, trying the knob to find it locked. 

There were a few nicknacks back here as he scanned over them, and as he snapped photos, he noticed one particular gargoyle that wasn't as well enmeshed with the surrounding brambles. Sure enough, the displacement of the dirt around it suggested that it had been recently moved, so Sugawara scooted it aside to reveal a key. 

This was a bad idea. Like, a really bad idea. If someone lived here, he would be invading their home, could be attacked inside...but if he just went in and snapped a few photos quick, locking up as he left, what was the harm? He didn't really understand why he was justifying it to himself, but his feet moved him to the back door and he fit the key in the lock without hesitation. It was so weird. He'd never been much of a true deviant when he was young, wouldn't dream of taking a risk like this normally, but as the door swung open he stepped into the dark interior and felt only a heady rush of excitement. 

He stopped almost immediately as the door swung shut behind him. The smell of the place...smokey, a bit spicy, sweet like cinnamon or...cloves. There was something strangely familiar about it but he couldn't quite place it. It was nearly pitch black on the inside, the curtains drawn tight and letting in no light at all. The darkness was almost stifling after being outside in the full sun. He took out his phone and switched on the flashlight, wanting something more steady than the flash of the camera to light his way. He was in a little cloakroom, the doorway opening to a beautiful but old kitchen. It looked nearly untouched, not a hint of dirt on it, though in a mansion like this there were probably people paid to keep it clean. He snapped a quick photo, even the small digital click puncturing the silence in a way that made him flinch. 

As he moved through the house, it's emptiness furthering him to use less and less caution, he ruffled the thick velvety curtains to let in a few shafts of light so that he could see without aid. The place was perfect. The décor and architecture appeared untouched, as if he'd stepped through the threshold into a century past. The flooring was dark marble, the furniture either either dark wood or metal, all intricate and vintage. Many of the rooms were lined with bookshelves heavy with old-looking volumes, and set into the deep hued and papered walls were what, by all appearances, seemed to be gas lamps. The place almost looked like a museum, for all the mint condition antiques. It was more than Suga ever could have hoped for. 

A curving spiral staircase led up to a second floor, swathed in darkness. He was too nervous to switch the lights on, but the harsh light of his phone seemed too bright, so he merely used the ambient light of the screen to guide his footsteps. He would just snap a couple photos of the bedrooms in this hall and then be out. 

The floors on this second level were wood, and they creaked a bit under his footsteps. Thick carpets covered the floor and he wished he could see the place in full light, as even the doors and wainscoting appeared to have intricate design work. He opened one of the doors which protested loudly, making him cringe and freeze, as silence settled back around him. He opened it just enough to put his camera through and snap a picture. He did the same for the next three rooms as well. 

The last door was at the end of the hallway, taller and double, the tops curving to an arch. Some kind of statues sat on either side and there was a relief of some kind carved into the wood of the door, but he couldn't make it out in the darkness. It must be the master bedroom. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he turned one of the glass knobs, the door opening silently, unlike any of the others. The darkness was heavier here, the light of his phone screen failing to penetrate it at all. It was almost like a tangible thing, a dark fog, and his heart beat more rapidly as excitement gave way to fear. There was something different about this room. Something sinister. 

But he had come this far. He raised the camera, the little screen showing nothing but black and clicked down the button. The sound seemed muffled and the only thing that appeared on the screen in the flash was the outline of a canopy bed, strangely distorted, but looking up in the aftershock of the light, he swore he saw a figure. His heart pounded. He stood rooted to the spot. The air shifted in an unnatural way and something seemed to loom out of the shadows, a nightmare come to life, as eyes materialized before him, glowing a wicked deep blue. His phone fell from his hand, as did his camera, though the strap around his neck saved it. 

“You've made a terrible mistake, human.” 

Harsh fingers wrapped around his throat and he was shoved to the side and against the wall, lifted by that iron grip. He coughed and sputtered, clawing at the hand around his throat until something caught his wrist, something that felt strange, like a yielding rubber, and then his other arm was wrapped with the same. They pulled his arms against the wall like bindings and warm breath blew against his chin. He was going to die. Whatever monster he had awoken was going to kill him and as abject terror seized his mind and body, hot tears fell down his face. 

As quickly as he had been constricted, he was suddenly freed, falling to the floor, shaking and gasping for breath. 

“You. No. How are you here?” the smooth voice asked and it sounded familiar but fear was controlling all of his senses. As he finally found the ability to move his muscles, he flung himself away from the creature, barreling down the stairs and through the house, tripping over everything in sight. 

“Wait,” the voice commanded and his body froze, unable to move. It was like his mind had betrayed him, locked his muscles in place and while he desperately wanted to run, there was no ability he had to overcome that singular directive. The thing made a hissing noise and he could see the clouded shadow on the steps in his periphery. Something clicked in his mind. The light, from the windows. 

His feet couldn't move, but he jerked the camera from around his neck, swinging it toward the curtain. It was just close enough that it caught the edge, flinging it wider and letting more light into the room. The thing behind him wailed and he felt his muscles release, was able to propel forward. As he ran, he pulled every shade wide, letting light pour into the black rooms. The howl that reverberated through the house shook the windows with its intensity. He burst through the back door, leaving it wide open as he ran full bore back toward the road. He was shaking so badly that it took three tries to get over the fence, and he left the bag strap. Grabbing the camera case, he threw the moped into gear and tore away as fast as he could, glancing back only once at the great, dreadful place as he made his way home. 

**

The next few hours were vicious. Sugawara was torn in so many directions after what had happened, from wondering if it had been a trick of his mind to wondering if he should be calling the military, and everything in between. He couldn't stop shaking. He'd tried doing research, but everything was myths and urban legends or even worse, dens of conspiracy theorists. He wanted to call Asahi, to have him come over or go to his house, but even overlooking the fact that his phone was still at that place, what could he tell him? 

With burning eyes and shaking fingers he had opened the camera and flipped through his pictures. The last one, of that bedroom, held nothing to validate his horrifying experience. Just a dark and somewhat distorted image of that lavish canopy bed, the curtains that closed around it drawn to one side. He had shut it and slammed it against the floor, falling to his knees as fresh tears squeezed from him. What was he going to do? 

As the sun slipped below the horizon line, a fresh dread welled within him. Could the creature find him? He pulled the key out of his back pocket, forgotten in his wild fleeing. He had no phone to call for help. But surely if something were to find him here, in this apartment, surrounded by other flats, someone would call for help. He placed kitchen knives in every room, turning on every light in the little one bedroom place. He sat on the couch with the biggest knife in hand, sweat soaked and shivering. And he watched the door. 

He had just started believing he was absolutely nuts when the power flickered. He switched on the lantern and three flashlights before him, lighting several candles with a stuttering match as his breaths began to come fast. Just a precaution. The lights went out and a thin whine escaped him as he stood up, knife in hand. 

He heard voices in the hallway, but one by one they were silenced, doors clicking closed. All the beams of light from the flashlights were trained on the doorway and Sugawara stared at it as the silence seemed to roar around him. This couldn't be happening. His heart pounded as the terror clawed at him.

There was a strange sound, like the gentle creaking of wood, and Suga leaned forward, trying to identify its source. With a terrible crash that split the night, his door nearly shattered off of its hinges and he cried out in fear, diving behind his couch just as what looked like a billow of smoke wafted in from the hallway. Black smoke. Carrying with it the scent of cloves. 

“Sugawara...” a smooth and gentle voice coaxed and something in him perked up. That voice. This scent. He peeked over the back of the couch and in the dim light of the candles (the other light sources had apparently failed), he saw the tall and beautiful stranger from a week prior. Unmistakable, that perfect face and curling black hair, deep set blue eyes that seemed to burn with intensity. The shadows seemed to curl around him, his passive expression not quite cold. More...hungry. Despite the familiarity, Suga's gut still quivered.

“What...you? What, what is going on? I thought...I thought you were a monster...” He blushed at how stupid that must sound, but the stranger's expression didn't shift at all. He simply walked with slow purpose around the table to stand a few feet from Sugawara. He was weird though, something aberrant about him as darkness moved around and through him. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

“I am a monster, Sugawara. One that's tried very hard to keep you out of harm's way. So imagine my surprise when I found you wandering the halls of my haven, at the precipice of my bedchambers?” 

Sugawara was struck dumb. It wasn't possible. There could be no way that the creature he had tousled with in the mansion was the man standing before him, the man he had been lusting after for days now. Something in his mind cracked, splintered as it tried to make sense of the whole scenario, but there was no logic or sense to be found in it. He held out the knife in defense as the man took a step toward him and a hint of a smile played across the lips of his intruder. 

“Come now. You don't really think that is going to help you? Besides, you came to me, Sugawara. Even now I can sense your desire mingle with your terror. Make up your mind.”

“I didn't know! I didn't know it was you who lived there! P-please!” He took a faltering step back, brandishing the knife as threateningly as he could, but still the man advanced on him in graceful steps, his very demeanor radiating power. 

“Please what, Sugawara? I'll allow you one command of me, considering what I have come here to take. Instruct me and I shall obey just this once. But know this. If you tell me to leave you alone forever and I find you in my house again, you will never again leave it.” 

Something sinuous wrapped around his ankle, stopping his retreat and he pulled at it in panic. Before he could manage to free himself, the stranger had come right up to him, standing only inches away, and Suga raised the knife tip against his throat, his breaths ragged as he fought to control his rising hysteria. The man leaned into it, causing him to falter as soft breath touched Sugawara's lips and a tingle of want twined through him. 

“Cut me, and I will have to take even more of you.” His fingers wrapped around Suga's wrist pressing the blade away from him, the thin red line it had created on his pale skin fading as if it never had been. Something wrapped around his other leg, all the way up to his knee, pinning him to the ground, but so much of him was already giving way that he didn't struggle against it. The knife clattered to the floor as he fell pliant to the creature whose dark gaze raked over him.

“What...what will you take? What are you?” he whispered, so close to those lips that drew him inexorably to them. He wanted nothing more than to taste this man again, shameful considering that he now knew he was no mere man. The lips curved into an almost sweet smile.

“Oh, you must know by now.” As the smile widened, he saw the extended fangs and he knew that his suspicions were correct. A vampire. A real, true vampire. Beautiful and terrible, wondrous and terrifying. The shiver that ran through his body was equal parts horror and lust. “So tell me, do you want me to leave you be, Sugawara? Do you want me to fuck you?” As his lips brushed across Suga's neck, as delicate as spider legs, his arousal growing with each passing moment, he very much wanted that. But there was something he wanted more.

“Your name. Tell me your name.” The stranger drew back, giving him a hard look. Cool fingers brushed lightly along his cheek.

“It is dangerous for you to know it. Are you sure that is what you want?”

“Yes.” The man leaned in against him, his mouth right next to Suga's ear, as the dark and writhing scraps of shadow slipped beneath his shirt to wrap around his waist, strangely warm and slippery. 

“Akaashi Keiji,” he whispered, and the very name brought a shudder of pleasure across him. His free hand glided up Akaashi's side, following the line of his shoulder blade to his back were he gripped the thin, silken material of his shirt tightly. He pressed his hips against the taller man, feeling a similar state of desire and gasping in delight at it.

“Akaashi, I'm yours if you want me...” A deep rumbling growl rolled forth from the vampire and the hand that had tenderly caressed his cheek moved back to grab his hair roughly. When Akaashi's face pulled back and came back into view, there was an arrogance there, his eyes glowing slightly blue.

“Yes. You've always been mine. Your will has been mine to command from the moment I laid eyes on you. You could never deny me, even if you desperately wanted to. It makes no difference to me if you do.” The words tore at him as he was pulled to the ground, the tethers of darkness binding tight around his limbs. He had no reason to disbelieve the vampire, he had obviously been under his power before, remembered well how he had been commanded to wait in the mansion. But Akaashi gritted his teeth, his brows drawn together, and it was a more honest expression than any other Sugawara had seen upon his face. Distantly, he knew that he should be afraid. But as Akaashi tore his shirt open, buttons flying across the room, all he knew was ravenous desire. Akaashi ran a hand down his chest to his naval and he arched into the touch. The dark tentacles tugged his pants down, leaving him in only his underwear, so vulnerable to creature above him. 

“You thought to ask for something more precious, because you believed I would fuck you anyway, didn't you, prideful thing?” His words were as sinister as the darkness, just a hint of bitterness as he far more delicately removed his own shirt. Sugawara was panting, his body thrumming with anticipation as Akaashi slowly undid his belt. The rest of the room had vanished in thick shadow, leaving only the magnificent figure before him softly illuminated by the backglow of the candles. As he dropped the rest of his clothes to the ground, Sugawara strained against the binds of the shadows, not in hopes of freeing himself, but to revel in his own helpless exposure. He salivated at the sight of Akaashi's hard cock, moaned as the man ran a hand over it almost casually. He was so painfully hard himself, straining against his underwear, a dark spot forming as he leaked from desperation. 

“Ah, please, please touch me,” he begged as Akaashi knelt over him, and a somewhat wicked smile crossed the vampire's usually placid face. One shadowy limb disentangled from his arm and Akaashi lifted it by his hand, threading their fingers together. He moved his lips from the delicate skin just inside Sugawara's elbow down his forearm to his wrist, right at the pulse point. His eyes raised to meet Suga's as his mouth opened, viciously sharp teeth extended, and he sunk them in. Suga's mouth fell open as first a rasp of pain and then sweet euphoria shot through him from the bite. His body contorted as he rushed toward climax, but it dwindled almost as soon as it began, as Akaashi pulled away. His long tongue laved along the punctures and they healed right before Suga's eyes. 

“You could have asked for me to take you. You should have. I would have done it with relish. But now...” he spoke the words against his arm as he moved back up to the crook of his elbow, biting again, for only a second, to send a jolt of bliss through him, though again not enough to tip him over the edge. “Now, you will provide satisfaction for only my hunger. I shall slake my own lust.” Sugawara felt tears gather in his eyes from the overwhelming sensation combined with Akaashi's declaration. He dropped the upheld hand to the back of the man's neck and tried to pull him down, but the vampire easily removed it, pressing his hand to the floor. He saw dark movement against Akaashi's pale skin, a snake of shadow wreathe one of his thighs and wrap up around his shaft. Akaashi gasped in pleasure and Sugawara was entranced by the eroticism that spread across his face from the intimate contact. 

Sugawara's hips jerked up as Akaashi ran his tongue from his navel all the way up to one budded nipple. As his soft, warm tongue circled the nub, the sensation wrung a cry from Suga, his body searching desperately for the friction it needed. He felt another tentacle disengage, from his leg this time, just as teeth sank into his pectoral, bowing his back up off the floor. He got so close this time, felt himself teeter along the very edge of cumming, when Akaashi pulled away again. He was nearly sobbing with need, the slightest brush along his aching cock would have sent him spiraling, Akaashi was careful not to touch him more than absolutely necessary, and it was driving him mad.

The torturous bites continued as he lifted Sugawara's freed leg, sinking teeth into his ankle, and then just above his knee. The one time Suga tried to touch himself with his free hand, Akaashi had lunged at him, moving him so that both hands were bound above his head. He felt like nothing more than a quivering mass of begging and moaning, noticing only in passing as the beautiful man shuddered against him, mouthing at his skin, that another dark tendril had wound its way up Akaashi's other leg. His face was flushed, the first time any color had broken across his porcelain features, and Sugawara had never wanted anything so badly than to be taken by him. 

Lips moved along his inner thigh, a tempting promise, but one he knew would not come to fruition. At the top of his thigh, so dangerously close to his point of roaring desire, he felt Akaashi's hands tighten around his legs, breath blown out hard against his skin as the vampire's teeth clenched.

“Ah, Sugawara!” His voice was clipped and tight with arousal, sending chills along Suga's body as he called his name. The look in his eyes was ferocious, predatory, and he bit brutally into Suga's thigh, sucking hard, his throat bobbing. It was finally enough. With a wracking shout, Suga finally came, his body seizing from the deafening ecstasy that rushed straight to his cock from the close bite. He lost all his senses for a moment, nothing but the warm, almost choking pleasure that was tingling all through him even perceivable. Then exhaustion. Then sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Akaashi stormed back to his mansion, his veins bright and throbbing with the lovely human's blood and he raged. How could he be so foolish? He was still behaving like a fresh kindred, lost to the ecstasy of blood from the source, his fangs and his cock still throbbing from the experience. He hadn't meant for it to go that far. Was still fighting the bitter disappointment that the silver-haired man hadn't begged to be taken when given the chance.

Only his own pride had kept him from that end anyway. Gods, how he had wanted to give him everything his pleading lips had begged for. Wanted to sink between his thighs and know the tight heat of his pliant flesh. It had been so very long since he had wanted those things of anyone. Even the desire to engage in his own shadow play hadn't struck him in decades, something he'd come to find far more satisfying than having to be bothered with the pleasure of another. But this time, despite the expert movements of arms of the abyss, both internally and externally, it had felt lacking with the wanting body of Sugawara splayed out beneath him, begging to be fucked. 

Even now, his hands fisted tight as he fought off that aching rush of desire. This was a problem. A big problem. He shouldn't have simply left. He had taken his time cleaning Sugawara, redressing him, placing him back in his bed, his unconscious form soft and limp in his arms. He'd broken a few things, rifled through a few cabinets, as if he'd been just a thief in the night, taking advantage of the blackout. He'd heard the sirens in the distance. The cloying shadows had muffled any sound from mortal ears and he'd heard the other humans evacuate, afraid that the swirling darkness was smoke. It suited him just fine. The authorities would find where he had crushed the power line, but they wouldn't dig into the mystery. The only violation of the Masquerade, that which kept the knowledge of vampires from their human prey, was in Sugawara's memory. 

Which he had not wiped or reshaped. That was the problem. His little obsession knew not just what he was, but his name and where he lived. He had seemed a level-headed man, unlikely to go screaming into the streets that vampires existed and they should grab their torches and pitchforks. If he chose to seek out Akaashi at all, he was in fact quite certain that it would be for more selfish reasons. Reasons that appealed to him far too much. No, the real problem was that, to a trained eye, it had become obvious that he had interest in this man and that, that was what would bring the most danger to his doorstep. If the Sabbat found him, he would be used as leverage. Either to bait Akaashi with the threat of telling the Camarilla of his rule violation or far worse, to threaten injury, death, or turning upon the human. Or simply showing up to dump his mangled corpse at Akaashi's gates. That had happened before too, with one of his ghouls. He needed time to think. He needed help. 

But the only person he trusted enough for it was very much wrapped up in his own difficulties. He'd heard that Bokuto had recently embraced a new vampire at the behest of the Prince, and that would be taking all of his attention. Neonates required so much oversight as they learned what was needed to survive as one of the kindred. Especially for clan Brujah, their beasts running hot with emotion, constantly straining against their human bonds. It was what he had loved about Bokuto so much. It was what had inevitably driven them apart. 

He decided that he would speak with Sugawara more candidly, when they were both in a better mental state. There were options for him that he needed to consider, now that he had been pulled into this so firmly. He would be safest here, in Akaashi's haven, but he would have to choose to stay. Let him sleep for a few hours, perhaps even be taken to the hospital if they couldn't wake him. It didn't matter much, Akaashi would be able to find him anywhere now. 

He spent the next few hours preparing a room and anything else a human would need, ordering food, making sure the water was drinkable, that the toilets still functioned. He was formulating how would tell him, try to explain without using his abilities. It had been so long since he had bothered to try. What he had said to Sugawara had been true to a point, almost no human could fight his domination. But it had been a lie that it didn't matter. Truly, when Sugawara had told him he was his if he wanted him, true emotion in his soft hazel eyes, it had jarred Akaashi to his bones. To have such adoration bloom forth out of the fear that he was also the source of...it had rattled him. 

He was deep within these thoughts, smoothing his hands over the down comforter on one of his guest beds, when he felt it. The intrusion into his haven. It only triggered for magical beings and none could enter by accident, the power which lined its perimeter giving off a warning to any who could sense such things. It was as forceful as if they had banged upon his door. Tonight of all nights, such a thing brought ill omens.

As he left the comfort of the mansion walls, he saw several vehicles parked just outside the gate, their headlights blazing. Several people milled about in front of them, casting long shadows up the drive. He could smell blood already. Sabbat. 

“Bold of you to intrude upon my territory so brazenly. Get out before I become angry,” he warned in a calm and casual voice. One huge man stepped forward, his mouth twisted in a sharp grin, hair sheered down to almost nothing, approached the gate with a machete in hand. 

“The boss sent us to get you. Said you might be willing this time, since you so carelessly left your toys laying around the house. So we decided to play a little...” Two of them shuffled forward with a body slung between them and Akaashi felt his stomach turn to ice. They dropped Sugawara's unconscious form before the big guy. His clothes were torn in several places, bite marks evident in many of the places where skin was visible. Blood was smeared from his mouth. He was alive, that much Akaashi could tell, but his pulse was weak. The vampire placed a boot over his throat and sneered. “Be a shame if he were to get broken. We gave him some blood to keep him going, but...” Sugawara wheezed a bit as the boot pressed against him. 

Akaashi had not felt true anger at another in many decades. Annoyance, yes. But the rage that welled within him was as black as the shadow that began to manifest all around him, dark pools appearing in his alabaster skin as he let it break through. They had taken something that was his. Abused it. Brought their handiwork to his door and expected him to comply. They were stupider than he could have imagined. The lights from the vehicles began to dim as shadows lengthened and curled like smoke among them. The Sabbat vampires shuffled nervously.

“You made one mistake.” He felt the arms of the abyss reach up from the ground, also felt the second set which sprouted from his back, snapping against the ground. Several of the Sabbat began to retreat, fear rolling in waves off of them. It made Akaashi smile. 

“Oh and what's that, Lasombra? We both know you can't take our whole gang and if you want your little pet, you're going to have to come out of your castle.” The iron gate swung open, making the man start a bit, but he held his ground, his wretched boot still at Sugawara's throat.Akaashi moved the tentacles below the darkness which had spread like a fog, reaching toward the man who dared to threaten him so openly. He felt them grow beneath his anger, fattening and lengthening. By the time they reached the gate, they were nearly eight feet long and as thick as a man's thigh at their base. 

“You assumed that my domain began at the gate,” he stated, matter-of-factly, relishing the shift from grin to terror on the vampire's face as two tendrils of darkness lashed out, encircling him from both sides. Several vampires screamed as Akaashi descended upon them, the other two arms flinging the cars aside. Their leader shrieked into the night but it was cut short as his spine snapped and the tentacles tore him apart, splattering the pavement and his comrades with blood. The huge things were nearly indiscernible now that the headlights were no longer shining on them. The horror for those who held their ground was complete, grabbed and thrown or crushed in constriction. When he reached the gate, his own shadowy appendages reached out, merely brushing against his assailants, his victims, and making them scream in terror. Its barest touch stripped them of their vitality, lighting up their nerves and making them easier prey for the larger tendrils. 

He lifted Sugawara's body gently, insulating it from the violence that surrounded them. Turning, letting the eight tentacles in total eviscerate the remaining stragglers, he began the slow walk back to his mansion. As he reached the door, the gate swung shut and silence resumed. Swallowing the bloodlust and rage that had overcome him, he pushed back the void that had opened up within him. He let the black metamorphosis fade, the snaking darkness winding back within him as the marks on his body disappeared. He didn't want to look the monstrous thing he knew he had become when Sugawara awoke. 

He tasted the blood at the corner of Sugawara's mouth, wrinkling his nose. Of course. They had taken too much, especially after he had already fed on him just a few hours ago. To keep him a live they had given him their own blood, beginning the process of turning him into one of their ghouls. Hopefully he had managed to kill the vampire who bonded him like this but if not...then upon waking he would be drawn to them. It was unconscionable. 

He soothed over the many bite marks with his tongue, allowing the healing properties in his saliva to close the wounds. There were bruises and cuts on him as well, one eye blackened. Gods, they had brutalized him. He would have been barely conscious to begin with, unable to defend himself after Akaashi had taken from him earlier. The blood they had given him would heal him, by morning he would likely not have a mark on him, but if he had been awake for any of it...

Then Akaashi could make him forget. He soothed his fingers over Sugawara's face and through his soft, silver hair. He stirred only slightly under the touch. Guilt clawed at Akaashi. This man's life was over. No matter how little he knew, the Sabbat had marked him and he would be in danger from them, always. Akaashi's thumb trailed over the weak pulse in his neck, the beast flashing in hunger. Perhaps...would it not be the best if he...

Sugawara took a shuddering gasp, his hand flying to Akaashi's wrist. His eyes flew open, bloodshot but clear, and Akaashi felt his old heart clench. He shushed him, soothing the pads of his fingers gently over his skin. He reached into his mind, found the place where his torment had begun and began to stitch around it, walling it off from him. He would tell him later, if he survived, but he couldn't let him remember what had been done to him simply because Akaashi had been drawn to him.

When he was finished, he was tired. So much use of his power in one night left him hungry and exhausted, but there was so much left to do. There was still a few scant hours before dawn and there was one way he could save this man. It was unlikely and it would be costly, but he had to try. He picked up his phone and dialed one of the only numbers he remembered. 

“A-Akaashi?” came the surprised answer on the other end. 

“Bokuto-san, I need your help.” 

**

As Sugawara came to, he felt strange and fuzzy. All his muscles ached, but he also felt extremely...good. Like his body and mind were buzzing, his senses sharp and focus absolute. He was laying on a couch, his clothes in poor condition, torn along many of the seams, but he didn't feel injured. A man with dark, wild hair sat near his feet, handsome and tall. His eyes followed another man who paced the little living room, broad shouldered with black and silver hair that was gelled up into spikes. He didn't recognize them and fear coursed through him anew. How did he get here? The last thing he remembered was Akaashi...and then a stranger in his apartment...

“So this guy really embraces the whole vampire vibe, huh? I mean, look at this place,” the dark-haired man was saying. Sugawara pretended he was still sleeping. 

“Hah, naw, he's just really old. More like, his tastes inspired what the vampire vibe is, ya know? He was old when I was turned, and that was a long time ago. I can't believe he called. I bet it's been... twenty years at least since we spoke.” 

There was a beat of silence and then a hand came to rest on his ankle and his fear spiked. 

“Hey buddy, you awake?” With that, Sugawara leaped to action. He rolled off the couch, landing in a crouch and sprinting to the other side of the room. He grabbed a chair and meant to just throw it in the way, but he snapped the leg right off of it, brandishing it before him like a blade. The two men threw their hands up non-threateningly. 

“Holy shit...” the one on the couch said, rising to join the other, “I thought you said he was a human!”

“They ghouled him. He's got vamp blood in his system. Juices them up.” 

“What the fuck is going on?” Sugawara nearly shouted at them, confusion and fear mingling into a deadly combination. “Who are you? Where...” He looked around and realized he recognized this place. It was the house he'd been in earlier that day. The house that Akaashi said was his. “Where is Akaashi?” 

“Hey buddy, it's cool, it's cool, you're safe,” said the brawny guy, taking a step toward him. “We're friends of Akaashi. He called us to watch over you while he, uh, runs an errand.” Sugawara frowned. This guy was a terrible liar. 

“Assuming you're also vampires, if I shove this in your heart, will it still kill you?” He said it with more confidence than he felt, and the dark haired vampire lowered into a combative stance, a low growl emanating from him. The buff one stepped in front of him with a hand out. 

“Whoa now, no need for that. We're not your enemies. The reason Akaashi called us was to make sure you stay here and that said enemies keep out. How are you feeling? Are you feeling drawn to anyone? How much do you remember?”

“What? I...Someone came into my apartment but I don't...remember much after that. Do you...do you know what happened to me?” 

“Man, I wish Keiji would've left a little info on this guy,” he mumbled, looking back over his shoulder at the other one, who had straitened back up. “All I know is that some, uh, bad vampires got a hold of you. Did some bad stuff to you. Akaashi took away those memories to protect you.”

“Wait, can we do that?” Asked the guy behind him and the brawny man shook his head. 

“No, not something our clan can do.” He turned back to Sugawara. “I'm Bokuto and this is Kuroo. There's a lot to explain and I'm not sure how much Akaashi has told you. But the fact that he cares enough to not just kill you, to ask me for help in making sure you're okay, well that's...out of character, to say the least. And if he's going to see the Prince...”

“Wait, did you say they gave me...vampire blood? Does that mean that I'm a vampire?” Sugawara was starting to panic. He could feel his heart beating, his lungs still pulled air of their own accord. But he did feel strange. His mouth tasted funny too and he wondered if it was from such a thing. The thought made his gut roil.

“Ah, no, no, friend. It's a lot more involved than that. You're still human, you've just been souped-up. Like you're on ultra-mega steroids or something. Normally you'd also feel a strong pull toward the one who fed you, but, based on the carnage outside, I'm guessing Akaashi made short work of them. You'll be back to normal in a couple days, assuming you stay off the red stuff.” Sugawara couldn't seem to entirely grasp what was going on and the casual way in which this guy was presenting it was making even more difficult to stomach. He lowered the chair leg.

“You guys are vampires?” He asked.

“Yep.”

“Barely,” said the one named Kuroo, with a sly grin. Suga walked back over and sat down on the couch, resting the wooden dowel on his knees. 

“How is any of this possible?” he asked, looking up at the two men. Kuroo took his place back at the other end of the couch, an empathetic expression painted across his face. 

“I know, it's fucking crazy, right? I just learned about all of this a week ago. I'm still rattled and amazed. There's this whole underworld that we never even knew existed, a whole government of vampires, called the Camarilla, and they thrive in this city and in most others all over the world. It's safer for both us and humans if humans don't know about it. That's why you've never had any clue about it. Damn, it's good to not be the most ignorant person in the room about this stuff, for once.” He snickered, but Suga continued to scowl at him. 

“I just want to go home.” It wasn't entirely true. He really wanted to talk to Akaashi. But he was worried about his apartment, panicking about the missing memories and whatever could have happened to him. 

“Please don't,” Bokuto said, giving what could only be described as a sad puppy look. “It's not safe for you out there and Akaashi asked us to keep you here. Honestly, it's been decades since I've seen him care about the well-being of a human, so please. Please stay.”

“How well did you know this guy, Bokuto?” Kuroo asked him. Bokuto looked away from him a bit bashfully.

“Uh...we were...very close.” 

“Wha...he's your ex!? You failed to mention that!” Kuroo jolted up and approached Bokuto with a pouty glower and Suga watched as the broader man's lips curved into a smile. He brought a hand to up to cup Kuroo's face tenderly and soothed at his wrinkled brow with the pad of a thumb.

“I did, however, say that he and I hadn't spoken for over twenty years. We've been apart for longer than you've been alive, Kuroo. Don't worry.” They rested their foreheads together and Sugawara had to admit, he was moved by the display of affection. A sliver of hope rose within him. He had been wondering if vampires were capable of love and care for others, as Akaashi had been very hard to read in his limited experience with him. He had so thoroughly convinced himself that it was the hunger, that he couldn't possibly... and yet, there was clearly something shared between these two. And from the sounds of it, Akaashi was going out of his way for Sugawara's sake.

“Not to interrupt your moment, but what's going to happen to me? If I can't go back to my apartment then... I can't just stay here forever.” 

“That'll be up to Akaashi. And probably you. Depending on what privileges he can get the Prince to grant him. That's up to him to discuss with you though. We're just glorified guard dogs right now.” As Bokuto spoke, beams of light flashed over the window and the three of them turned to see the car pull up the drive.  


“Speak of the devil,” Kuroo mumbled, crossing his arms. Sugawara set the chair leg on the coffee table in front of him. Of all the emotions whirling inside of him, the one that seemed to beat the loudest was anticipation. He watched as the door swung open, a flush already creeping up his neck and shoulders.


	4. Chapter 4

As Akaashi had entered Elysium, the gathering center for Camarilla vampires in the city, a hush had fallen over those present. He recognized a few of them from when he had initially convened with the Prince a few decades ago, but many faces were new. He didn't care. They all, however, seemed to recognize him as an outsider. A man with white hair and no discernible eyebrows approached him, Gangrel clan by the look of him, patches of dark brown fur evident on his knuckles, his nose a bit darker and flatter than a human. Everything about him, including his size and stature, gave a suggestion of bear. The Sheriff. 

He crossed his arms and simply stood in front of Akaashi, intimidation pouring off of him. Even for a vampire of his age, Akaashi wasn't sure he could take the Prince's Sheriff. He was given the role of enforcer for a reason, and the Gangrel were well known for being brutal warriors. Still, Akaashi lifted his chin and locked eyes with him.

“I seek audience with the Prince. It is somewhat of an emergency.” The Sheriff looked back over his shoulder and another vampire rushed toward the back of the large, fancy wine bar. It was sleek and modern, many of the tables shaped asymmetrically and the wide bar taking up nearly one entire side. Not that it served any wine. 

The little runner, a young woman with strawberry blonde hair who looked as sweet as anything, popped back out from a curtained back room and gave a thumbs up. The Sheriff patted him down and then escorted him to the back, all without uttering a single word. The girl peered up at him as they approached the doorway. 

“The Prince and the Seneschal said they could see you immediately. They uh, they know who you are. Please don't make trouble for them.” There was no threat in her words, merely a quiet plea. The Sheriff placed a huge hand on her head, and though he never cracked a smile, her reaction said that the move was an affectionate one. How strange. 

He entered back through the curtain into a small antechamber. The décor was red and black, modern art placed at tasteful intervals. Akaashi passed a disdainful look around the gaudy place. What ever had happened to the elegance of the gothic days? Oh well, there were more important things to focus on. He steeled himself before the curtain at the end of he hall. The Prince was the epitome of reason, straightforward, easy to interact with. The Seneschal, however...

He brushed aside the last curtain, entering a room with the two men he had come to see. Prince Ushijima sat at his fine mahogany desk, polished to a reflective shine. His eyes were already fixed upon Akaashi as he entered. His Seneschal, the right hand of the Prince, was nearly wrapped around him. Long limbs stretched over the Prince's shoulders, dangerous red eyes and scarlet hair to match, smirking deviously against his ear. Tendou was one of the oldest of clan Malkavian that Akaashi had met, and the clan's notable madness simmered behind those aberrant eyes. He was the schemer, the one the Prince relied upon to think outside of the box, and none were better suited for it. Akaashi despised him. 

“Akaashi Keiji, why have you come?” Ushijima asked, direct and to the point, as always. 

“Prince Ushijima, I come seeking permission to sire.” At his words, Tendou perked up, standing to his full height, his long fingers splayed like spiders over Ushijima's broad shoulders. 

“After all these years, Keiji? I'm surprised you would seek permission at all, the anti-authoritarian that you've remained. Why now?” Tendou's voice was sinuous and a bit thin, but Ushijima seemed to wait for a response, so Akaashi deigned to answer, despite his annoyance. 

“I have found a human for whom I have a fondness for. The Sabbat identified him and he can no longer remain among his kind safely.” Tendou raised an eyebrow at him as one hand trailed along Ushijima's neck. 

“The dusty old shadow summoner has developed a, 'fondness' for a mere human? That doesn't sound like you Keiji...” Akaashi felt his eye twitch with the casual use of his given name. But Ushijima's deep voice rumbled in response. 

“Why haven't you simply made him a ghoul? In that mansion, you could have a herd of ghouls to feed upon, if you so chose.”

“The Sabbat keep killing my ghouls. Sometimes they leave pieces of them at my gate. I'd prefer to avoid that with this one.” 

Tendou leaned over, his lips nearly brushing the Prince's ear, and Ushijima turned so that he couldn't watch their movement. He heard the barest rustle of the Malkavian's whisper, his crimson eyes darting mischievously to Akaashi. Ushijima nodded, his expression unchanging. 

“You have denied our invitation to the Camarilla many times. Failed to aid us when your power would have been useful. It is, in part, because of this that the Sabbat have had free reign to dog your heels. You have brought this upon yourself.” Akaashi flinched internally, letting nothing show on his face. If they denied him, then he would have to make the difficult choice of whether or not to defy them. Either way, the outcome would be very hard on Sugawara. 

“Buuuut...” Tendou sing-songed, waggling one long finger in the air, “You are still the most powerful vampire in the city. The Camarilla could use not only you, but the childe you sire would be a powerful asset as well. So we'll make you an offer, Keiji. One you had best take seriously.” 

“Join the Camarilla officially,” Ushijima said, and Akaashi tried not to cringe, “sit with the clan Primogen on the leader's council as part of the ruling body, and I shall grant you this privilege. Your childe will also join with other neonates, will live with them and learn with them and be an active member of our community. Those are the terms. They are not negotiable.” Akaashi swallowed hard at his words. That was more than he had anticipated granting them. He had expected for them to require him to join their little bureaucracy, but to have to act as one of the clan leaders? And to have Sugawara be primarily with other neonates, instead of at his side? It was far from ideal. 

Tendou leaned forward across the desk, sinking down on his elbows, his chin cupped in his hands. His movements were always strange, his body seeming to bend at impossible angles. Akaashi studied him as he smirked, chewing at his bottom lip. 

“In addition to the ability to bring your pet human into the fold, as part of the Camarilla, we would see fit to guard your haven and aid any ghouls you might have against the Sabbat. Rumor has it that you're already fairly chummy with the Brujah Primogen, so the transition would be easy. A little bird told me he is at your estate right now, yes?” 

Of course he already knew. Tendou Satori had strings in every direction, every movement ringing a bell to alert him. For all of the power that Ushijima brought, Tendou saw everything he didn't and filled in every gap, his intuition nearly strong enough to be considered clairvoyance. He was more than just a vampire. Like a Akaashi, he was a true monster. 

He only trusted their words because it was exactly the line that Bokuto had tried to convince him of so long ago. Bokuto would not have misled him, was nothing if not genuine to a fault. He would have at least one ally without any room for doubt. 

“Fine. Grant me this, and I will join you. I will give up my independence and take on the mantle of the Camarilla. I think you are fools who build your castle on the thin strings of decorum, but I will play your little game, at least to some extent.” Ushijimi's eyes narrowed at him, but Tendou placed a hand upon the Prince's shoulder, a wide smile spreading across his face. 

“Lovely. I cannot wait to meet the new addition to our little family. Assuming he survives. Our deal is for the privilege, so you are now part of the Camarilla regardless of whether or not your human joins our ranks. Do enjoy the rest of your evening, Keeeeeiji.” He drew out his name in a way that grated against Akaashi, but he had every right to gloat. Akaashi considered it, this would be his last chance to back out. If he left Elysium agreeing to this and then betrayed them, they would have grounds to hunt him. 

Sugawara was just one human. Why did he matter so much? There was no logic to this, nothing that should have made him care about this one man. Yet, he did. The why was perhaps the least important part of the matter. Everything within him told him that this was the correct path. So he nodded. 

He left in silence, hurrying back, anticipation already beginning to build. He had never sired another before and the process excited him. In no small part because he longed to taste Sugawara again. It would be for the last time. If he could convince him. 

**

Akaashi struck an imposing figure as the door opened and he stepped into the soft light of the gas lamps. He wore black slacks and a matching vest with a red button up beneath it, a black tie cinched close to his throat. Even black sleeve garters were on his upper arms and his shoes were polished to an impossible shine. Black leather gloves encased his hands. Suga was nearly salivating just from looking at him and he swallowed hard. He needed to get himself under control. 

Akaashi's eyes found him immediately and he crossed over to him, lifting his his chin as if to examine him. His flush burned hotter. 

“You are awake. You look well. I'm glad to see your wounds have healed.” He looked over to the other two. “I thank you both for your assistance in this matter. I would not have felt comfortable leaving him here alone, and, as you can see, the situation is quite...delicate.” His eyes dipped to the chair leg and his brow furrowed just slightly.

“Uh, we didn't break that, just so you know. He was kinda freaked out when he woke up and didn't know his own strength,” Bokuto said in a placating tone. Akaashi's gaze slipped to Suga, his expression softening. 

“S-sorry. It's been...a night,” Suga stuttered, wringing his hands.

“Not to worry. It certainly has been. Bokuto-san, the two of you may go.” He stood back up, approaching the two and put his hand out. Bokuto gave him a long look, complex layers of emotion barely visible behind his bright eyes before he slid his hand into Akaashi's. They grasped each other's wrists, barely shaking but passing a world of intent between them. 

“You can always call me. If you need anything. It's good to see you,” Bokuto said, his words low and a bit thick. Kuroo watched them intently. 

“I'll need your help soon, I fear. The next time we see each other, it will be as fellow Primogen.” Sugawara didn't know what that meant, but he watched Bokuto's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. 

“The Camarilla's not so bad, Keiji. I'll help you learn how to navigate it. I know it wasn't your first choice, but I'm glad for this.” A kind smile split Bokuto's face and Suga heard Akaashi chuckle. 

“If you call me Keiji in front of those jackals, I will have to be unkind about it, Bokuto-san.” Bokuto laughed in response to him, placing his other meaty hand on Akaashi's shoulder and giving it a squeeze. Then he released him and turned back to Kuroo. 

“All right, we'll leave you to it. Best of luck. To both of you.” As the two left and the door shut behind them, the lights almost seemed to dim in response. Akaashi turned back to him and now that they were alone, the air seemed heavy with tension. His eyes were dark and lidded and Sugawara felt self-conscious in his torn and dirty clothes. 

“How much did they tell you?” Akaashi asked, his voice soft as he made his way over to the couch and sat next to him. Sugawara ran a hand back through his hair, trying hard to banish the memory from earlier that night. Akaashi's mouth was too distracting to watch, so he instead focused on his knees. 

“Um, well, apparently I was attacked by 'bad vampires,'” he made air quotes and peeked at Akaashi, but his face remained passive. “I guess you erased my memory of that. They also apparently gave me some of their blood, so now I feel great and all my wounds healed, but I'm still kind of grossed out by that. I guess there's a whole vampire government and you went to talk to them about...me.” Akaashi was nodding as he spoke and Suga let out a heavy sigh. “And I can't go home because these bad vampires will kill me. So, what now?” 

Akaashi reached forward, almost making him jump, but his hand passed by Sugawara to lift the chair leg from the table, running his fingers over it. 

“The chair is an expensive antique, but it can be repaired. Your life though, is a different story. You have my sincerest apologies. It was never my intent to trap you in this difficult scenario. I should have stayed away from you. I should have made many different decisions. You have suffered because of my mistakes. I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me.” 

He was staring wide-eyed as Akaashi raised his midnight-blue gaze to Sugawara's. He set the wooden dowel aside and leaned forward, into Sugawara's space and it made his breath catch. Akaashi was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and regardless of the seriousness of what was happening, it still impressed upon him. 

“We have to talk about your options now, though. You have limited time to consider them.”

“Oh, okay. But, just one thing. Please don't erase any more of my memories. I hate not knowing how much I'm missing. I get that you were trying to protect me from whatever was going on, but now I know enough. I'm tired of being in the dark.” Akaashi surveyed his face, his fingers moving to rest delicately against his chin.

“Very well. Even if I erased every memory you had of vampires and myself, you would be no safer. But I warn you, the dark is likely to be all you'll know from here onward.” Suga nodded in response. Akaashi's gaze was pinning and made him feel small and delicate in a way he wasn't used to. His arms crossed in front of him and he held his elbows as a tremor of uncertainty crawled up his spine.

“Your first option is to remain here as a ghoul. With my blood, you could sustain with minimal human needs and aid me in my night to night activities. The blood does, however, become a dependency and your loyalty to me would be...artificial. Over time, you would lose much of your own will and you would be confined to this estate for your own safety, as the Sabbat have become quite efficient at dispatching my ghouls. You would provide sustenance for me in your time here as well, though I would still need to hunt,” Sugawara flashed him a look, a flicker of jealousy sparking within him, imagining Akaashi's teeth on another, “and yes, the jealousy you feel now would be tenfold if you were my ghoul. It would be a difficult life.”

“I have, at a high cost, been granted the privilege to make you a vampire. There are few of my clan remaining, and you would be a powerful vampire, as my blood is closer to our progenitor than any others in the city.” His long fingers drifted to Sugawara's knee, feather-light as they trailed up his thigh and he felt somewhat lulled. “We are now dogs of the Camarilla and you would spend much time with other new vampires, doing menial work to gain your place among them, but as your Sire, I would guide you through it all. You could stay here when possible and I would be your mentor. You would have to drink the blood of humans, but you do not have to kill. You would be confined to the night, but it holds limitless pleasures for we immortals.” 

He had shifted closer and Sugawara couldn't help but lean into him. His lips ghosted across Suga's jawline, his fingertips brushing lightly against the other side of his face. His offer was both tantalizing and terrifying, but like all things dangerous and magical, the seduction outweighed the fear. It far outweighed his previous offer. But something in his tone suggested he wasn't finished, so Suga let his eyelids flutter shut as warm breath blew against his neck and he shuddered with pleasure. 

“If neither of those options please you, then I would offer you a painless and blissful slip into death. I would never force you to live a life you don't want, but any choice beyond these three will likely lead you to a brutal death, or worse. The Sabbat keep humans as pets and are none too gentle. If you choose to leave tonight, that is what awaits you.”

Despite the heavy choice being thrust at him, Sugawara was having a great deal of trouble concentrating, with Akaashi's lips at his throat and his breathy voice teasing against his skin. He huffed out a breath of his own as he felt a warm tongue flick against his neck. 

“What would you want? It would be easier for you, if I chose death, wouldn't it?” Akaashi pulled back, still close but seeming to look directly into Sugawara's soul with those baleful eyes. His thumb soothed across Suga's bottom lip, and he leaned forward to give him a whisper of a kiss against them. It made his chest flutter.

“You think I would go to such trouble to obtain the permission to sire if I wanted you dead?” A smile across his his lips and drew Sugawara to him, their mouths finally meeting in earnest. Suga could almost feel his own desperation pound ruthlessly against his chest as his hands found Akaashi's face and hair. His lips parted and Akaashi took his invitation, tongue delving between them to caress his own. He pulled back moments later, to catch his breath, and he could see as he did that Akaashi's fangs had extended. He looked so beautiful and dangerous, like a nightmare turned to a dream. 

“Will it hurt?” Akaashi cocked his head and raised an eyebrow to Suga's question, hands tightening at his hips. “When you make me a vampire?” Suga smiled just a bit, biting his lower lip playfully as looked up at Akaashi from under his lashes. Those smooth, perfect features morphed slowly into a satisfied grin as Akaashi pushed the hair away from Suga's eyes. 

“Has it ever hurt when I've bitten you?” He shuddered at the memory, his blood rushing hot.

“No.” 

“It will feel like that, but better. And when you wake, you will be reborn. But first...” He rose and extended a hand, which Sugawara took without a second thought. Akaashi pulled him to his feet and led him through the magnificent house, his shoes clacking against the marble floor as Suga padded behind him, barefoot. They stopped before an ornate door, heavy dark wood ornamented in spiraling silver patterns that had been inlaid upon it. Akaashi opened it, but only darkness lay within. He turned back to Sugawara, a slight flush to his face that made Suga's heart stutter. 

“Our clan, the Lasombra, suffer from a strange curse. No surface or device can capture or reflect us. Once I embrace you, you will never again see your own face. I cannot recall my own countenance after the centuries I have lived. It will be the same for you. Such a pity, as you are so very lovely, Sugawara Koushi.” He lifted Suga's chin again, appraising him and he was speechless in the face of such admiration from the enchanting creature that was before him. He knew his cheeks must be crimson from his blushing, but Akaashi only gave him that slight smile as he pulled him into the dark room. A click echoed through the space and a gas lamp flared softly to life, revealing the unnerving sight of himself reflected in several mirrors that made up the walls of the room. Only himself. 

It was shocking, seeing the man before him, but seeing no remnant of him, not even his clothes, in any of the mirrors in the small room. It felt like it had to be a trick, but as the door closed behind him, completing the circle of reflection, it seemed like Akaashi existed only in his mind. Yet there were strong hands on his arms and a warm body beneath his own fingertips. It was dizzying. 

“I want you to see yourself, truly and well before I rob you of this.” He spun Sugawara around so that he faced the mirror, cool fingers lifting his his chin so that he had to gaze into his own eyes. He could feel Akaashi pressed against his back, his other hand around Suga's waist, but only indents in the cotton gave any indication of another presence in the reflection. 

“I want you to memorize every facet of yourself in these mirrors, for never again will you know yourself like this.” He could feel Akaashi's lips and nose against his neck, feel his hands move over his chest, but all he saw was the buttons of his ravaged shirt begin to undo one by one, until it fell open and was pulled to the floor. He could see the indents in his flesh as Akaashi pressed his fingers against his abdomen and ran them along the lines of his hips. The little mole that was just under his belly button drawing the attention of the vampire. 

“You're so much more beautiful than I am, Akaashi...” he huffed out, watching his face redden as he felt fingertips move along his waistline, watched the button of his pants snap open. 

“I'll have to take your word for it,” Akaashi rumbled in his ear, a smile in his voice. Oh yes, Sugawara would need to tell him. Remind him of his own beauty with close, soft words spoken against his skin. He could feel kisses along his back and shoulder, was already growing hard in response to the vampire's touch. Would he finally give in, give Sugawara everything that he craved? 

A little gasp escaped him as his pants and underwear pulled free, falling around his ankles. Akaashi pressed against him harder, and he could feel the outline of his responding erection, Sugawara's lifting as he arched against the man. Smooth fingertips, still shrouded in his leather gloves, glided up his hips and sides. He'd always thought himself so plain, but the way in which Akaashi caressed him made him feel like something precious. Watching the indents of fingers and lips play upon his skin was alluring in a way that he had never imagined. 

He turned back to him, kissing him fervently as his hands fumbled with the fine clothes that he wore. Soon the hands against him were warm, the gloves discarded, followed by the vest and tie. As he struggled with the shirt buttons, he felt Akaashi smile against his lips and hum a soft laugh.

“No need for such haste, we have hours yet before the dawn.” 

“Will you...?” He let the desperate question hang in the shared breath between them, almost ashamed at how needy he sounded. But Akaashi lifted his face, his eyes heavy with lust as his nose brushed against Sugawara's.

“I'll give you anything you want.” His words were pure, his flowery speech set aside, his tight and controlled tone lost. 

“You. I just want you. All of you.” His hands continued to work at the buttons, but when he looked back up to Akaashi, pushing it from his shoulders, his breath caught in his lungs. 

“All of me?” Akaashi's eyes had gone black, the lines holding the iris from the whites beginning to swirl with darkness, bleeding out until no white remained. A deep blue glow thrummed where the iris had once been. The shadow seemed to drip down his face, leaving darkened lines. His skin began to mottle with grayish to black patches, almost like ashen freckles. Below the lines of darkness trailing from his eyes, they spread across his cheeks and nose, down his throat and across his shoulders. The dark patches spiraled down his sides and from his back, those dark tendrils appeared, wrapping over his shoulders and from around his waist. And Suga knew he should be afraid, horrified by the image, but in contrast to Akaashi's pale skin it was...beautiful. 

He ran his hands over the darkened areas, which seemed tingle where his skin met them, and Akaashi leaned into his touch, his eyes closing as shadowy fingertips gently moved over Suga's exposed body. He brought his mouth to Akaashi's neck, where the markings bloomed, and ran his tongue over them, shivering from the sensation it gave him. Akaashi growled, a deep rumbling sound that stretched beyond the abilities of a human throat, and Suga felt his fingers dig in to his hips almost painfully. One shadowy tentacle moved against his arm, almost tentative, and it thrilled him, so soft and slippery and warm. He unbuttoned Akaashi's pants, moving his hands beneath the waistline to feel the upper curve of his ass. Everything about him felt so good, and now, touching the places with the markings gave him an extra jolt of something almost...narcotic. 

“All of you.” With those words, Akaashi pressed him down until he was on his knees before him. He let his remaining clothes fall to the floor, revealing the rest of the beautiful patches of darkness upon his skin, running the length of his legs and over his hips. The tendrils stroked gently at Sugawara's face and shoulders. He was drunk on the image before him, the sensory overload of the mirrors, showing him kneeling before nothing. Akaashi's cock was fully erect before him, the mottled shade running down the underside. Every part of Sugawara felt electric and he leaned forward to lick a slow stripe up the darkened area. Akaashi threw his head back and moaned, the tendril stilling and tightening where they gripped him. He teased at the head with his lips and tongue, making tight little circles while running his thumb over the trail his tongue left. 

Strong hands pushed him back, leaning him back against the plush carpeted floor. Akaashi loomed over him, monstrous and yet, divine. His fangs were fully extended, giving him a predatory visage as his glowing eyes ran the length of Suga's body. Shadow had seemed to fill the room, swirling around them, and those dark tendrils from the last time, different from the ones that came from Akaashi, encircled Suga's wrists. They pulled his arms gently over his head, as the ones on Akaashi, that left that fiery tingle in their wake, moved along his torso and up his thighs. 

He felt them spread his legs as Akaashi knelt between them, his hands dragging down from Sugawara's throat, slow and enticing, over his ribs, stomach and then down hips, trailing so close to his aching cock that he whined for want of touch. He couldn't take it again, being denied, and he gave a desperate and pleading look to the vampire who explored his flesh. 

“Please touch me, Akaashi.” He knew he was begging, felt it even more acutely when Akaashi's lips curved into a dark smile. A black tentacle moved along his body, down to brush against his erection, sending a sharp jolt of pleasure through him. But it didn't stop, either, moving it's slick and sinuous form over his testicles and lower, teasing at his entrance. It made him gasp in a way that turned into a moan, and as his eyes raised to the mirror on the ceiling, he realized that he could see the darkness there. Black and shining, they were beautiful against his skin, and as the one that dipped between his legs probed languidly at him, like a smooth tongue, he trembled from how much it excited him to watch.

Akaashi's hands continued to move over him, and finally, finally wrapped around him, making him cry out from the needed friction. Being stroked by his strong fingers, something Sugawara had dreamed about, though certainly not in all the splendor he exhibited now, relaxed him enough to let the probing appendage sink past his first ring of muscle. It fucked into him gently, easing deeper and deeper with each thrust, and he began to unravel, needing more. Akaashi was so light with his strokes, clearly an intentional ploy to keep him from cumming too quickly. The stretch he was feeling from the tenebrous thing within him was so good, so terribly profane, and as he felt it slide against his prostate, a wrecked sound tore out of him. Akaashi responded to it, releasing him with his hand, though his additional limbs squeezed just a little tighter around Sugawara's thighs. 

Akaashi lifted Sugawara's hips from the ground, his shoulders still flush with the carpet, held down by the tendrils that bound his wrists and forearms. His legs were already held up and he felt the thing slide out of him completely, leaving him empty and wanting, slick from whatever made it so terribly soft. He felt Akaashi line up with him, felt his own body throb with aching desire. He watched the vampire's face clench as he began to sink in, only had to stop watching as the pressure became too much for a moment and his own eyes squeezed shut. 

The sensory overload was almost too much to bear. The tingling feeling from the shadowed skin now pressed against his most sensitive areas, stretching him even while they increased his sensation. He was panting roughly, trying to focus just on breathing, even as he felt his legs begin to numb a bit from the constriction. He felt Akaashi's hips meet his own distantly. Smooth fingers moved up his torso, lifted his chin gently. Everything else was still for a moment and he just breathed, trying to fit back into his body and make sense of the cacophony of stimulation that was firing through his nerves.

“Sugawara. You must relax or we cannot continue. If it is too much...” He opened his eyes at Akaashi's words. His face, achingly beautiful in its horror, was creased in concern. His arms held Sugawara up, one hand stretching forward to caress his face. His eyes cleared of the darkness for a moment, regaining their midnight-blue color and it seemed to ground him. He'd forgotten in the tempest of sensation what he had desired and now, seeing Akaashi before him, care so obviously pressed into his features, he remembered. The bonds at his wrists slackened, freeing his arms, and he lifted them to Akaashi's face. His eyes lidded beneath the touch, and as Suga's fingertips brushed across his lips, he felt him pulse within him. Feeling his steady form, hard muscle under yielding skin, hands trailing down his arms to where they met Suga, it rekindled his mindset. He could recognize now where the feelings were coming from and the hunger within him re-awoke. 

He wanted Akaashi to feel him, to become lost in him, and he could do that. He clenched around him with a smirk, his thighs hugging the vampire's hips and rolling against him. The vampire gasped, leaning forward over Suga, his hands tightening around him. When he looked back up, his eyes were black and glowing with that ocean blue once again. 

“Don't you dare stop now,” he challenged and Akaashi gritted his sharp teeth, bucking into him and making him cry out in pleasure. The tentacles around his thighs had slackened, but with a second snap of his hips they tightened again, bring Sugawara's body to meet him. The tentacles that had held his wrists now gripped onto his upper arms and shoulders, curling around him to aid in the movement of his body. Each thrust ground against his prostate, his voice rising in the small room as he felt the build begin to coil tightly in his gut. One of the tendrils that came from Akaashi's body snaked around his cock, lighting him up with that prickling slide of the slippery, dark flesh. 

He was so close, so desperate for release, and Akaashi clearly sensed it, pushing him down all the way and pressing his legs up. It allowed him to close the distance between them, kissing him deeply. His tongue seemed longer, more smooth, and it tasted like things not definable by Sugawara's mortal mind. He felt himself teeter on the precipice just as Akaashi bent to his throat, no need for his bite this time, and his whole body clenched and shuddered in the most powerful and blinding orgasm he had ever known. As his mind whited out, he felt the sharp thrill as teeth punctured his throat, filling him with a second wave of ecstasy, warm and honeyed through his veins. He could vaguely feel Akaashi grip his hair, his rhythm stutter, the vibration of his moan against Sugawara's skin. 

His vision cleared just long enough to gaze up at the mirrored ceiling, where he appeared splayed out, dark bindings around his arms, legs, and spent shaft, and he felt...exquisite. Magnificent in his vulnerability, something pure being devoured by rich and delicious darkness. It was the most awe-inspiring way he had ever seen himself. It was the last he ever would.

**

When he woke, something warm and sweet was passing his lips, fulfilling a ravenous hunger which had at first threatened to overwhelm him. Supple flesh yielded to his new fangs and he shivered from the bliss of their penetration. A pleasant weight was on top of him and his arms wrapped around it, pulling a lush body against his, his hands clutching at smooth back muscle as the person stirred. They were entwined with him, legs tangling with his own, and it all felt so very right as he pulled hard where his teeth had latched.

“Sugawara, that's enough.” The soft, low voice was right next to his ear, but he didn't want to stop, wanted to drink forever at this succulent fountain, and he pretended he had not heard. Gentle hands found his jaw and applied pressure, forcing his mouth open as the source of his succor pulled away. A thin whine escaped him, met with a soft chuckle. 

“Use your tongue and close the wound. Do not bite again, or I will have to punish you.” A sweet thrill ran across him as the scent of blood filled his nose again, but he obeyed, lapping along the cut and punctures. He could feel them close beneath his ministrations. 

“Yes, very good,” the voice said, relaxing him as soft lips found his own and he drank of a different pleasure, a warm tongue darting and sliding along his own. When the person pulled back, he opened his eyes and he knew them, a lovely glow of happiness and longing blooming deep within him. 

“Akaashi...” the name fell from his lips like a prayer as he looked up at the beautiful man. It made no difference that mirrors around them showed only darkness. He needed nothing but those eyes to see him. 

“Do you taste it now? The ambrosial darkness that has blossomed within you? You are its master and its conduit. I will show you all the ways in which you can harmonize with it, and play this world a symphony of shadows.” 

With an exhalation of wonder, of breath he no longer needed, he realized that he could. He could taste it, down to his very bones and he knew, even as he looked into the deep ocean eyes of his Sire and lover, that his life was opening to all the beauty and pleasure that the night and the abyss could offer. And it was infinite.


End file.
